Best of bakeries holiday treats

Part 1: Savoia and Get Caked

Each year CITY asks readers to vote
for their favorite local people, places, food, drinks, entertainment, and more
in our Best of Rochester readers' poll. As the winter holidays approach and everyone starts planning parties and gifts, we asked the top four bakeries from this
year's poll what holiday-specific treats each of them will offer this season,
and how to place holiday orders on time.

The
following is the first of a two-part series, focusing on Best of Rochester 2018
Best Bakery winner Savoia Pastry Shoppe and runner-up
Get Caked. Next week: runners-up Leo's Bakery & Deli and Scratch Bakeshop.

Most
popular holiday items: Cookie cakes. "They
are great gifts for personal and corporate use to show your appreciation to
friends, employees and clients," says Savoia's
co-owner Lisa Privitera. "Our Christmas stollen is also a popular holiday baked good.
It's a sweet dough shaped like a Christmas tree with icing and holiday
sprinkles." And Savoia's cannoli, offered year round,
is also a popular holiday staple. "We offer cream- or cheese filled-cannoli
which are $2.10 each," she says.

Holiday
treats for dietary needs: None.

Custom
holiday orders:
Yes, for orders for large numbers of cookie cakes, and for customizable
cakes.

Ordering
deadlines and guidelines: No later than
December 15 for personal items, and no later than December 10 for corporate
orders.

Most
popular holiday items: Decorated sugar
cookies and cookie trays. "We also make a lot of pies (mostly Dutch apple and
pumpkin) and decorated cakes," says Get Caked owner Kelly Halligan. "The most
popular cupcake flavors are chocolate peppermint, eggnog, carrot cake, and
pumpkin chai."

Custom
holiday orders: Cookies, cupcakes, and cakes. "You
can order something simple like a basic cake with writing and flowers or
something complicated like a 3D or fondant cake," Halligan says. The more
complicated the design, the more notice is required.

Ordering
deadlines and guidelines: Holiday pre-orders
must be in by December 20. "We will have a selection of goodies available for
quick purchase up until Christmas Eve," Halligan says. "But we always suggest
ordering in advance to guarantee your selection."

The
most unusual, challenging, fun, memorable order: "One of the most
challenging and fun was a three-tiered, square, topsy-turvy wedding cake that
was entirely Christmas themed, Halligan says. "I handmade little snowmen,
elves, and reindeer out of gum paste and chocolate. They also had hundreds of
Christmas sugar cookies to go along with it."